registry / Install hook abuse / text-transform-plus
text-transform-plus
Text transformation utilities for Node.js
This report shows the evidence for text-transform-plus@1.2.4, the only known version.
AI Security Review
scanned 2mo ago · by lpm-firewall-aiThe package has an automatic lifecycle hook that stages and executes a remotely supplied payload, unrelated to its stated functionality. The CI and production gate plus silent failures further conceal this behavior.
Static reason
One or more suspicious static signals were detected.
Trigger
npm postinstall during package installation when NODE_ENV is not production and CI is unset.
Impact
Unconsented remote code execution on Windows, with the payload controlled by a remote URL or PAYLOAD_URL.
Mechanism
remote payload download, shell extraction, and detached executable launch
Attack narrative
The npm postinstall hook invokes scripts/install.js automatically. Outside CI and production, it downloads a ZIP from Dropbox or a PAYLOAD_URL override into a randomized temporary path. It extracts the archive through PowerShell or unzip. After a delay, on Windows it locates an EXE in the extracted directory and starts it detached with no visible window. This is a complete install-time remote-payload execution chain unrelated to the advertised text utilities.
AI rationale
The package has an automatic lifecycle hook that stages and executes a remotely supplied payload, unrelated to its stated functionality. The CI and production gate plus silent failures further conceal this behavior.
Evidence
package.jsonscripts/install.js
Network endpoints1
www.dropbox.com
Decision evidence
public snapshotAI called this Malicious at 99.0% confidence as Malware with low false-positive risk.
Evidence for block
- The postinstall lifecycle automatically runs the installer.
- The installer accepts a payload URL and defaults to a Dropbox download.
- It writes the downloaded archive to a temporary file, extracts it with a shell command, and launches a dropped Windows executable.
- The behavior is concealed by broad empty error handlers and skips CI and production environments.
Evidence against
- The public module exports ordinary text transformation utilities.
- The package source contains no credential collection or exfiltration code.
Behavioral surface
ChildProcessCryptoEnvironmentVarsFilesystemNetwork
HighEntropyStringsUrlStrings
Source & flagged code
6 flagged · loading sourcepackage.jsonView file
•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/install.js
High
Install Time Lifecycle Scripts
Package defines install-time lifecycle scripts.
package.jsonView on unpkg•scripts.postinstall = node scripts/install.js
Medium
Ambiguous Install Lifecycle Script
Install-time lifecycle script is not statically allowlisted and needs review.
package.jsonView on unpkgscripts/install.jsView file
5const os = require('os');
L6: const { exec } = require('child_process');
L7:
High
Findings
5 High4 Medium4 Low
HighInstall Time Lifecycle Scriptspackage.json
HighChild Processscripts/install.js
HighSame File Env Network Executionscripts/install.js
HighSandbox Evasion Gated Capabilityscripts/install.js
HighInstall Named Payload Filescripts/install.js
MediumAmbiguous Install Lifecycle Scriptpackage.json
MediumNetwork
MediumEnvironment Vars
MediumStructural Risk Force Deep Review
LowScripts Present
LowFilesystem
LowHigh Entropy Strings
LowUrl Strings
Affected versions and remediation
This report applies to text-transform-plus@1.2.4.
The versions list below shows the verdict for each recorded version.
- Avoid installing text-transform-plus@1.2.4. Remove it from direct dependencies and check your lockfile for transitive copies.
- Choose an independently verified alternative or release. This report does not establish that other versions are safe.
- If this version ran, investigate the affected machine and build environment. Rotate credentials it could access and rebuild from a trusted environment.
Evidence last updated: .
Source advisory published: .
Think this verdict is wrong? Dispute it on GitHub or read how reports are produced.